Saguaro Springs springing to life

Sept. 1, 2004 - GETTING AROUND: The Empire Companies, a major
land developer in Southern California, has purchased the 790-acre
Saguaro Springs property in Marana from developer Best Associates
for $25 million.

Saguaro Springs, a proposed development of 2,500 homes bounded
roughly by Lambert Lane on the north, Twin Peaks Road on the south,
Airline Drive on the west and Beacon Peak to the east, was
inititally introduced in 1997, but to date no construction has ever
taken place.

In behalf of Empire, the Planning Center has submitted a
specific plan calling for the construction of a mix of townhomes
and single-family residences totaling between 1,100 and 1,200 units
on 217 acres, or about 28 percent of the land, in the western
portion of the development.

The project includes from 400 to 700 units in an age restricted
area, plans to build a 29-acre park with several sports fields, a
dog park, playground equipment, benches, ramadas and restrooms and
the dedication of 10 acres to the Marana Unified School District
for a future school.

Nineteen acres at the southwest corner of the project would be
traded to the town for easements along Cement Plant Road as a
buffer with the Happy Acres subdivision, Airline Drive would be
extended from where the road turns at Lambert to serve a water
storage tank, Lambert would be widened from two to four lanes from
Airline Drive to Silverbell and Twin Peaks Road would be widened
from two to four lanes from Cement Plant Road to the project's
boundary, a distance of about a mile and a half.

Jack Neubeck, a Planning Center principal, said the project has
been in and out of contract with from five to six potential
developers unable to come to grips with the estimated $16 million
cost of bringing infrastructure in from over the Tucson Mountains
and putting in sewer lines to connect with the Continental Ranch
pumping plant east of Saguaro Springs.

Marana has been anxious to see the project succeed because of
the nearly $6 million in impact fees it will bring in to help
finance the town's share of the $14.5 million Twin Peaks-Linda
Vista I-10 interchange.

Saguaro Springs will cost the developer nearly $2,500 per unit
in impact fees.

Residents have been invited to review the plan at a 6 p.m.
meeting Sept. 2 in the Sunflower Village Center at Continental
Ranch, 9401 N. Sunflower Park Drive.

Previous attempts to develop the property have been met with
opposition from residents in the 170-acre Happy Acres subdivision
to the north who feared the impacts of heavier traffic through
their area via Airline Road, a narrow two-lane road that runs
through the neighborhood.

Arizona Portland Cement also expressed concerns three years ago
that encroachment from Saguaro Springs, about two miles southwest
of the company's plant and two miles northeast of its quarry, could
put an end to its plant operations.

The Empire Companies, founded by Jim Previti, has been primarily
involved in the Southern California area as well as Flagstaff. Its
projects include four master planned communities, golf courses and
commercial development.

Among other area developments, Continental Ranch Development
LLC, formerly Arizona Pavilions Development LLC, plans to break
ground by November for 260,000 square feet of retail space within
the Arizona Pavilions power center at Arizona Pavilions Drive and
Cortaro Road in Marana.

The project, on 30 acres in the west portion of the 70-acre
power center, would include such future tenants as Marshall's
Discount Stores, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Petco, all of whom
would occupy about 30,000 square feet, Pier 1, 11,000 square feet,
Famous Footwear, about about 8,000 square feet and Hallmark Cards,
about 4,000 square feet, said Greg Wexler, Continental Ranch
Development partner.

At the same time, infrastructure work is scheduled to begin on a
separate 18-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Silverbell Road
and Cortaro on the west side of the Santa Cruz River.

The 18-acres initially were part of a 40-acre parcel of which 22
acres were donated to Marana for a park.

Another 2.5 acres were included in a trade for the construction
of the town's proposed 15,000 square-foot library. Also included in
plans for the development of this property are a five building,
26,000 square-foot condominium office complex on 2.5 acres and a
6,000 square-foot preschool and 3,000 square-foot playground on one
acre.

At the southeast corner of Twin Peaks and Coachline roads,
Coachline Shops LLC is developing about 10,000 square feet of
retail area in two buildings to include Comet Cleaners with 1,169
square feet, Coachline Nail and Spa, 1,169 square feet and Lady's
Workout Express, 1,516 square feet.

All are scheduled to open in October, said Justin Bassett,
managing member of the partnership.

In the Continental Commerce Business Park, where 80 percent of
the first of three 26,000 square-foot buildings has been leased,
new tenants include the Scarritt Group, international conference
planners, which has taken 2,600 square feet in a move from 5297 W.
Hematite, A &A Garage Doors, 1,800 square feet, and Arizona
Fine Aggregate, sellers of mining equipment, which will occupy
1,800 square feet with a move in date set for October, said Brand
Eigen, managing owner of the Continental Commerce Park LLC.